Francis C. Wilson, 91
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. â€' Francis Charles "Tank" Wilson, 91, of 48 Prospect St. died Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009, at North Adams Regional Hospital. Mr. Wilson was long active in town civic and community affairs.
Born in Lovena, Canada, on Feb. 28, 1917, son of Charles and Gladys Marshall Wilson, he moved to Williamstown at an early age and graduated from the former Williamstown High School with the class of 1935. A star athlete, he was a member of the varsity football, basketball, baseball and tennis teams and was a four-sport letterman. He graduated in 1937 from Williston Academy in Northampton, where he also was a four-sport letterman and captain of the basketball team, and in 1941 from Brown University. At Brown, he was captain of the varsity basketball team, which played in the first NCAA national basketball championship in the 1938-39 season.
An Navy veteran of World War II, he enlisted in February 1942 in the Air Corps and served as a commander and blimp pilot.
Mr. Wilson was employed by the former Sprague Electric Co. in North Adams for 37 years as director of the benefits and safety departments, until his retirement in 1982. He had first worked for Fairchild Aircraft Corp. in Farmingdale, N.Y., before entering the service.
He was a member of St. John's Episcopal Church and a former member of its vestry. He was a member of the former Williamstown Lions Club, the Williams College Sideline Quarterback Club and a founding member of the Williams College Hoop Group. He also was a member of the National Electric & Manufacturing Association Safety Committee and served on the board of directors and implementation team of OSHA and ERISA at Sprague.
Long active in civic affairs, he served on the Williamstown Bicentennial Committee, the Council on Aging, the Mount Greylock Regional High School Committee and its president in 1973, the Planning Board from 1980 to 1984, the Fire District Review Board and as charter member and founder of the Williamstown Little League in 1953 and 1954. He was a member of American Legion Post 152.
He was involved with development of home care in the Berkshires and was the first chairman of the Western Massachusetts Homecare Association from 1967 to 1981. Mr. Wilson also was involved in the building of the 1753 House in Field Park, for which he split logs into clapboard.
His wife was the former Patricia Ellison, whom he married on May 13, 1949, died Dec. 17, 1997.
He leaves two daughters, Amy Frances Coldiron of North Adams and Dana Jean Wilson of Norton; a son, Gary Brock Wilson of Williamstown; a sister, Dorothy Reinke of Williamstown, even grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by a grandson, Charles Daniel Wilson on Nov. 9, 1997, and a sister, Vivian Barry.
FUNERAL SERVICES â€' Funeral services for Mr. Wilson will be conducted Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009, at 11 from St. John's Episcopal Church with the Rev. Peter Elvin, rector. Burial will be in the springtime in Eastlawn Cemetery, Williamstown. There will be no calling hours.
Memorial donations can be made to the Charles Daniel Wilson Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of the Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, MA 01247.